Valve tripping mechanism



May 31, 1932. T J. YATES n r1,1&1.e;1,17o

A VALVE TRIPPING MEGHANISM original Filed Marchal, 192e 2 sheets-sheet 1 May 31,/1932. T. J. YATEs VALVE'TRIPPING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 2l, 1929 Zgweaw gwfw, [y www @www Patented May 31, 1932 y UNITED STATES 'rnoimsm Yarns, or SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, kAssrerlvoie To Yarnsv MACH-macon- PATENT' "oF F1 ,PANY, OIF SALEM', MASSAGHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS, j'f

VALVE TRIPPING MECHANISM Abpncation mea mmh 21, 192s, serial No. 348,968. .i Renewed catter 19, l1981.

" This linvention relates tol mechanismfor vperforming some such operation as closing a valve or actuating asignal when a predeterv Vmined. quantity4 of iluid has flowed past a given point in apipe. The invention is exempliied in tripping mechanism which is capable of operating as an adjunct to or in combination with a self-closing valve to control the supply of waterto'w'ashers such asare 10 commonly used in laundries.y vValves of the type mentioned may be set in selected positions to regulate the ,flow of both hot and cold water into the washer, a catch being provided which may be tripped or released to permit Y i springs or weights to'clo'se the valves and stop the flowy of Water into the washer. An'object of the inventionis to provide reliable mechanism whichl can be set so as to trip the valves when a predetermined vregulable quantityl of water has entered the washer. For a more complete disclosure of the invention, reference may be had to the description which follows, and tothe drawings of which, f Figure 1 is an'end view of a washing machine showing an installation of my valve tripping mechanism in conjunction with an automatic valve. i Figure 2 is a fragmentary section Iot the 30 mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 isla sectiony on line 3-3 of Figure 1,2the parts being shown on Va larger scale. Figure 4 is afsectional4 viewy of the valve tripping apparatus showing a portion of the 5 gearing. f i' VFigure 5 is a section on line 5.-*5 of Figure 4; i i

Figure 6 is anelevation of the adjust-able cam for operating Ythe trip rod.

Figure 7 shows inperspective a-tapering sleeve/,which may be tted into the inlet port of the apparatus. y y

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 represents an end of acylindrical washing machine such as is in c'ommon'fuse in `power laundries. In the course of washing a batch of clothes or materials, frequent changes of water are required, the quantities of water for the different changes being varied accordin g to the nature of the step in the washing operation." 'In order to avoid the necessity ofcareful attention on the part of an operator during the inlowof water land to ensure the correct amount of waterbeing used for each (change, automatic valves may be supplied for the hot'and cold water. The

`water maybe supplied to a'pair of pipes`11 which lead into a pair of valve chambers 12, suitable valves Vbeing arrangedtherein Vso as 'to be closed by the gravitational fall of rea0 spective Weights 13. Valvesof this general typeA are on the' market, the particularvalve illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 being fully'de'- scribed and illustrated inl my'c'rlopending ap- N plication Serial No. 275,230 led 4,1928. The weights 13' are` formed on operating levers 14 which are held in adjusted 11p-raised positions as-by a pair Yof pawls 15, eachfof which engages a tooth of the racks 162 These racks permit the independent opening of the L hot and cold water supply valvest'o any desired degree. When the desiredamount of. water has beeny introduced'into the washer 10, it is desirable that thevalves12be closedM f thereupon automatically.v II hevalves'maybe 75 y closed by an upwardm'ovement of -a tripping lever 17 throughfa ypush rod 18.3n The -leverj 17 simultaneously disengagesthe two pawls 15 and ypermits the weights 13 to drop under gravity, closing the valves 12si`multane`oi1sly. "'80 According to theb present invention I-supply improved' mechanism forl actuatii'ig4 i the push rod 18 so as to raise the trip lever 17 when a desiredquantity of'wate'r hasentered the washer 1,0,an'd'A thusto close the valves"85 12. To this end 'I connect intol the pipe 19 which extends fromthe valves v12 into the washer 10, a coupling20'which`forms a chamber 21. A suitable paddle'fwheel22 is `provided having paddles 23 'projecting into the "90 chamber 211mm a' side thereof 'in' suchfa manner, that waterlowing therethrough will impinge en -the npaddles 23 so as to rotate the Wheel 22.1 In order to increase the velocity of the streamy striking the'padfdles 2 3 Imay i 95 provide a tapering inletportf24`which ifdesired may be stilll further reduced infcross f sectionrby the'insertion of fa'ftaperedV 'sleeve '2 5 therein. Therpaddle wheel 22 may: be,Y

connected toa suitable edge cam26by ay train "100 of reduction gearing so that rotation of the wheel 22 results in a very slow rotation of the cam member 26. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, this reduction gearing has a small pinion 5 27 fixed on the wheel 22, the wheel and pinion beingy lsely mounted on a fixedr shaft 220. The 27 aldus with a comparatively large gear wheel 28 mounted on a shaft 29 which also carries a worm 30 meshedwith a 'wermgewll 'Ihewormgear 3i is vided with l pinion 32l which meshes wit a gear wheel 33, the latter being mounted on the end of a shaft 34 which extends outwardly through thehousing 35 within which the gear train is enclosed. V

0l the outer portion of the shaft 34 may bexedadiekheivinga friction face37 effltlleler other equivalent material. The @x36 ny'he fixed to the shaft 34 es by entre 38, a hay or other device, ori may M formed i ally with the shaft. Op-

to the frletiai fine 37, a second disk ilk secured within a circular recess u il them ofthe eem member 26, as by a 50. A compression spring,k 51

y ,prevdad to the disk against the flidlm flee 'md'thus to avoid undesirable hdween the cam member 26 and its 3b The edge of the cam member 26 bly ms! for the moet art, there t extending 'rally out- 2,the perte are. so arranged that the u 'm end-0i the rod 18 rests u'pon the edge ennuh of, the member 26, being held thereon :shy a sitabk guidel. As the 22 io rotated by the streamvof ,through the pipe 19 to enter 'nella' 10, the notation. of. the paddle bei SE-reshin a slow rotation of the eam so that eventually thev lower end i 18 rides on the elevated portion ai the om until the trip lever 17 isI suft i. 1g-the pawls 15 reeks 16 and thus to permit' the to close, shutting olf inflow of het int the. washer 10. The of veter entering the washer will this under ordinary circumstances, be protmnel to the angle of rotation of the cam member Si. nl, uw

Y This the amount of water which How into the washer 10 before the inie to2 may be determined by suitably the, oem member 26 before the valves 12Min opened. Fory this purpose afsnitable Big. piece, 42 may he formedon the cam ggd secured thereto, this linger automatically close the valves when the desired quantity of water has flowed into the washer 10. In ordinary practice, the valves 12 are regularly opened up to admit a largev stream o water to flow into the washer 1n order to get the water in as quickly as possible and to economize in time. Theseam impinging on the paddles 23 will therefore ordinarily be of fairly constant magnitude. I have found, however that the epparatus'will operate with a high degree of accuracy throughv a very considerable variation in the rate of flow of water through the chambers 2l. The calibration of scalel marks on the disk 43 may be altered, if desired, by inser- 80 ber 21. The local constrictionresults in a stream of higher velocityv at that point, which increases the speed of rotation of the paddle wheel 22 for agiven flow kof water and consequently increases the angle et rotation of the cam membery 26 correspondingto a' given quantity of water entering the washer.

Having thus described eertain embodiments of this invention., it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be vmade therein without departing from its spirit or scope as defined. by the appended claims. f 'Iclaimz v 1..v A mechanism of the class described com- ,pris'ng a. fixed shaft, a paddle Wheel having paddles loosely mounted on said shaft, a. cam shaft. a calm frctionall mounted thereonfor adjustive rotation re atve thereto, gearing operativey connecting said wheel and cam shaft, a follower bearing onthe cam surface of said cam, and means for vdirecting a stream of Huid against said paddles to ro-a tatel saidv wheel.. r y

2. Valve tripping mechanism adapted tovbe connected into a fiuid supply pipe, said mechamsm compris a casing avm a eway for fluid wi inlet and outle ends opning into said pipe and'ofy substanti'aIly the same cross sectional area as said ypip,e,a-shaft mounted in casing a paddle wheel loosely mounted onsaid: shaft having paddles projecting into said passageway. said passage; way having a tapering bore adjacent te its inlet end to constrict the stream impinging on said paddles, a cam shaft, a train of gearing connecting said paddle ywheel, and said cam shaft, a cam frictionally and adjustably mounted on said cam shaft, and,I ay camrvfollower in operative contact with said cam."

In testimony whereof I have axed my signature. i.

THOMAS J. YA'l' l*3S.4

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